Liberia (Hansard, 24 March 1999)

§ Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
My Lords, we have no doubt that Liberia had been supporting the rebels in Sierra Leone with military supplies. The intelligence we have is clear and specific, but I know the House will understand that I cannot go into detail. Perhaps I may add that we are not alone in that view. Our view on the matter is shared widely across the international community.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, does the Minister consider it contrary to natural justice to make serious accusations against the head of a friendly state without producing one shred of evidence to support them? Does she agree that when the Foreign Minister of Liberia went to see the Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, recently, he asked him what the evidence was? He also asked the State Department when he went there and it would not even disclose it to him in private.
Is the Minister aware that when he made inquiries of friends in the United States they told him that the State Department purported to have photographs showing lorries carrying weapons crossing the international frontier between Sierra Leone and Liberia, but that there is only one crossing place along the whole of that 250-mile border, along which runs the Mano river; that is, at a bridge manned by the ECOMOG forces? Therefore, how can the Minister say that such weapons and troops are transported across the international frontier?

§ Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
My Lords, I shall not comment on aerial photographs. I did not mention them; mey were mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Avebury. As I indicated, I cannot comment on the evidence we have. However, I did say that it was conclusive and wide. It should be noted—I stress this and shall go into a little more detail than in the Answer—mat the UK is not alone in considering the situation and in coming to that conclusion. Our view is shared, in particular, by the regional African states. Nigeria and Ghana have both severely criticised Liberia's continued support for the rebels. The United Nation's Security Council's statements and resolutions—most recently Resolution 1231 of 11th March 1999—as well as United States and European Union statements, have all expressed grave concern at the reports they have that arms and personnel are being supplied from the territory of Liberia. We, and our partners in the international community, would not be acting like this if the evidence of Liberian support for the rebels was not compelling.

§ Lord Moynihan
My Lords, does the Minister agree that one of the most appalling aspects of the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone has been the widespread use of child soldiers? What assistance can the Government 1289 give to the demobilisation of the estimated 4, 000 child soldiers in Sierra Leone, particularly in light of the fact that although the Government are committed to the disarmament, defence minister Hinga Norman stated that that cannot be done while the fighting continues? Furthermore, what steps are the Government taking to support the work of charities in Liberia, such as Save the Children, in helping restore these child victims to a normal life?

§ Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
My Lords, the noble Lord raises one of the very many disturbing aspects of the appalling war in Sierra Leone. The people who will rebuild peace are the people of Sierra Leone. It is right that we must do all we can to help them. Britain, along with Nigeria, has been the principal supporter of Sierra Leone in the international community. Since President Kabbah was restored to power in March 1998 we have pledged over £20 million to help to reconstruct the economy, for humanitarian assistance and for the demobilisation and disarmament of former combatants. We have also helped to rally international support for Sierra Leone. We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation across the board including, in particular, the kind of issues raised by the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan. We have already provided 18 tonnes of emergency medical supplies, as well as rice and disinfectant. A DfID humanitarian co-ordinator is in Freetown to help target UK assistance and we constantly have this in mind.

§ Viscount Waverley
My Lords, is it official or non-official circles that stand accused? Is it recognised that President Taylor has offered financial inducement for Liberian mercenaries to leave Sierra Leone; that his suggestion of UN observers on the border has merit and that it is for the United States Government to exert some influence?

§ Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
My Lords, we welcome the recent statement from President Taylor to try to ensure that any kind of supplies and support from Liberia to Sierra Leone ceases. We consider that to be a positive and productive development. It was as a result of considerable international pressure that President Taylor made these offers. We shall continue to monitor closely the situation in Sierra Leone. We hope that the offers that have been made and the undertakings given will be concrete. We are all watching closely to see whether that is the case.
The noble Viscount raised the point of the joint monitoring of the Sierra Leone/Liberia border mentioned by President Taylor. He suggested that that should be a United Nations monitoring presence. We are not willing to support a United Nations monitoring presence while the security situation would undoubtedly endanger the safety of the UN personnel. The border between Sierra Leone and Liberia is long, heavily forested and extremely "porous"—to use the technical word—in the sense of anything being able to cross at 1290 any point. Even with the deployment of a monitoring force, effective control of the border could not be guaranteed.

§ Lord Taylor of Blackburn
My Lords, would my noble friend reconsider what she said earlier? Many of us are concerned about the position with Liberia. Surely, if the Government have evidence that they are not co-operating and that they are supplying troops and so on, could not the evidence be produced and published so that we can judge it for ourselves?

§ Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
My Lords, I think the House will understand that there is a kind of evidence which governments have that they cannot publish.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that in spite of the fact that—

Noble Lords
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